The Return to Hogwarts

Actually, I didn't originally plan to reveal this.

Under Amosta's questioning gaze, Dumbledore spoke in a light tone,

"This isn't a bonus for any special contribution, Mr. Golden Viper; this is your payment for the commission you accepted—"

Chapter 91 All That Happened (Part 2) (Please Subscribe)

Two heads suddenly emerged from the Black Lake, not far from the shore. They were two mermaids who had happened to come to the surface to get some fresh air. They spotted Dumbledore standing on the shore, but before they could even come over to greet him, a chilling, icy aura swept across the lake, freezing the two mermaids in place. They dared not dive down or swim.

"Are Kakus Foley and his whole family still alive?"

Amos Tower's eyes were cold and sharp. He squinted at Dumbledore, no longer the gentle and kind man he once was. At this moment, he had transformed back into the infamous Golden Viper of the Knockturn Alley underworld!

“The Foleys are certainly still alive, Amosta, in fact,”

Amosta, radiating a chilling aura, had already tucked his hands back into his sleeves. His presence, though close enough to be right in front of Dumbledore, did not elicit any change in Dumbledore's expression. He looked at Amosta gently, his beard trembling as he spoke.

"If you had read the Daily Prophet at the end of January, you would know that the Foleys are not only safe and sound, but they also have something to celebrate: Mr. Cacus Foley's sister, Adeline Foley, has been appointed Head of the Department of Strange Diseases at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Damage. Honestly, I think she deserves it. Adeline dreamed of becoming a healer when she was at Hogwarts."

"Enough, Headmaster Dumbledore,"

Amosta closed his eyes and took a moment to calm his slightly rapid breathing.

"Incredible, truly incredible. I never, not even for a second, considered this possibility. You actually have the ability to break the bonds of an unbreakable oath."

"Magic must also follow rules, Amosta. You surely understand this principle; the more powerful the spell, the more it is bound by the rules," Dumbledore said with a faint smile.

"The bondage of an unbreakable oath is secured by the wizard's soul. I am not as powerful as you imagine to be able to break such a contract."

So you see—

Amostella remained with his eyes closed as he faced the Black Lake. No one knew that the color in his eyes had completely faded, returning to their original brown hue. Dumbledore's words caused his brow to twitch.

"You knew all along that Golden Viper was Amosta Blaine, didn't you? How did you find out?"

"What do you think?"

Dumbledore did not deny this claim. He seemed to think it was silly and tiring to just hold up the money bag, so he withdrew his hand and never once took out his wand.

"what!"

The moment Amosta opened her eyes, a sudden gust of wind all around her knocked down the trunks of a row of willow trees on the shore. A small patch of lake in front of the two of them visibly trembled. The two startled mermaids rolled their eyes back, their powerless bodies rising and falling with the increasingly magnificent waves!

Amosta's brown eyes revealed an unmistakable coldness, and the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned. The arrogance surrounding him was so overwhelming that even Dumbledore's all-encompassing gaze could hardly contain it.

"Is it Remus Lupin?"

Amosta's voice was cold and stern.

"Of those werewolves, I only kept him alive. He promised me he wouldn't reveal my true face to anyone, so I let him go out of pity. Now it seems I made a serious mistake!"

Three years ago, when Amosta had not been active in the underworld for long, he had made a name for himself and accumulated some wealth by completing a series of commissions cleanly and efficiently. On that day, he was dealing with some valuable antiques that he had unexpectedly obtained during a commission in the trading market when a group of greedy werewolves under Fenrir Greyback approached him.

That was Amosta's first fight in the Underworld. The battle was fierce, and seven or eight werewolves were pinned to the rock wall and killed by Amosta. They fought from underground to the surface, and finally, in the small square at the entrance to the Underworld, they fought to the death in front of Merlin's statue.

The battle undoubtedly resulted in Amosta's ultimate victory, but he also made a fatal mistake.

At that time, like most people in the underworld, he simply covered his face with a mask without using magic for comprehensive protection. Due to the fierce battle, his mask was torn off by a werewolf's claws, accidentally revealing his true appearance.

Almost all the werewolves who saw his face that day died on the spot, with only one exception: Remus Lupin.

Amostella let the seemingly haggard werewolf go for two reasons. First, throughout the entire battle, Lupin, who was with the werewolves, did not cast a single spell on him, but only passively defended himself. It seemed that he was forced by the werewolves to do these despicable things, rather than doing it out of his own volition.

A werewolf let out a piercing scream before dying, calling out the name Remus Lupin and begging for his life. It was this scream that stirred up Amostana's last remaining, hazy memories. He remembered that Remus Lupin seemed to be a very important character in the plot, and to avoid a catastrophic chain reaction, Amostana spared him.

If it were Amosta Blaine today, with his more sophisticated methods, even if he chose to spare Remus Lupin again, he would surely have made an unbreakable vow to him, just like Kakus. But at that time, Amosta had just left school and was venturing freely into the shadows of the magical world for the first time. His experience was not yet 'rich' enough, which left hidden dangers.

“This is a thankful ‘mistake’,”

Dumbledore nodded at him, his expression finally becoming solemn.

“If you made the ‘right’ choice that day, Amosta, I’m afraid I’ll have to regretfully tell Severus that if he wants to see you, he’ll have to go to Azkaban.”

"Do you think he's more noble than those werewolves, Dumbledore?"

Amos Tower sneered, noting the strange resemblance to Professor Snape, his eyes filled with mocking questioning.

"Do you know how many piracy and robberies Remus Lupin and his pack of werewolves have done in secret, Dumbledore? If I should be in Azkaban, then he is equally guilty!"

“That was not Remus’s intention, Amosta,”

Dumbledore's voice trailed off, and he looked very tired.

"You and I both understand that the magical world we live in is full of prejudice and discrimination. Remus was originally a normal wizard like everyone else, but an unfortunate event in his childhood forced him to face this tragic and unfortunate fate."

He needed to survive, but the "Werewolf Code of Conduct" and the "Current Treatment of Non-Wizards as Half-Humans" made it nearly impossible for him to move an inch in the magical world. Out of desperation and under threat, he mingled with Greyback and his werewolves. As I said, Amosta, this was not Remus's intention; he had always insisted on not harming anyone, and his conscience had been tormented—”

“So, Dumbledore?” Amosta sneered. “Is he innocent?”

The complexity and cruelty of reality and human nature are insurmountable mountains. Even a powerful wizard like Dumbledore would feel powerless in the face of this mountain. He could not change people's prejudices, because prejudices are also 'correct' concepts derived from reality. Even if he was determined to overthrow the Ministry of Magic, it would be the same.

Looking at the silent Dumbledore, Amosta let out a soft snort. The wind subsided, and the gradually calming lake surface revealed an unfathomable darkness, like an abyss. Amosta stared at the lake, as if he had become one with the darkness.

"Since you issued this commission, Headmaster Dumbledore,"

Finally, after a long, silent standoff, Amosta, who seemed to have regained his composure, asked in a calm tone,

"What is your purpose in going to such lengths to bring me back to Hogwarts? I bet it wasn't just to toy with me, was it?"

Chapter 92 Everything (Part 2)

"People have always assumed I'm always right, that I'm omnipotent, Amosta."

In the distant sky, at the heart of endless darkness, a faint halo of light had already begun to rise near the horizon. It was the coldest moment before dawn. Dumbledore took off his glasses and wearily rubbed his temples.

"But I have always believed that the mistakes I made were far more serious than my insignificant contributions."

Dumbledore gazed at the young and talented wizard beside him, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Amosta remained silent, waiting for Dumbledore to give him a reasonable explanation. If Dumbledore couldn't justify his actions, it would likely create an irreparable rift between them, and perhaps even turn them into enemies someday.

"--Few people know that I personally recruited Tom into Hogwarts,"

Dumbledore clearly knew he had to give Amosta an explanation as soon as possible, so he didn't waste any time explaining and went straight to the point.

"When I first met him at the orphanage, his innate domineering and cruel nature, as well as his exceptional magical talent, made me uneasy. But I assure you, Amosta, I never imagined that the little boy with such a tragic past would later commit such an unforgivable crime."

Voldemort also grew up in an orphanage?

Amosta's eyelids twitched slightly, and he roughly understood what Dumbledore wanted to express.

"—In the eyes of all the professors, he was a polite, quiet, and knowledge-hungry young wizard, handsome, exceptionally talented, and refined. In short, from the moment he entered Hogwarts until his graduation, many faculty and staff, including the then-headmaster Armando Dippet, believed that his future achievements were limitless."

A tragic background, exceptional magical talent, and a knack for self-concealment.

Amosta let out a cold, ambiguous laugh. In that case, he and Voldemort did indeed have many similarities. Given this precedent, it was no wonder that Dumbledore had been keeping a close eye on him ever since Christmas night in fifth grade.

“I think you understand now, Amosta—”

Dumbledore's tone was sorrowful.

"I've always worried that history will repeat itself, but I also know that I can't make any predictions about your future. Ever since you left school, I've been caught in a dilemma. On one hand, I want you to live within my sight, but at the same time, I know that you are a little wizard with your own opinions. If I interfere too much with your choices through Severus, then in a few years, Voldemort's past may become your future."

Honestly, I haven't hesitated like this in many years, Amosta. I've been trying to convince myself that, through my observations over the years, I believe you and Tom are fundamentally different. You have love in your heart, you don't crave power, you don't desire to stand out, and you don't want to become someone to be feared.

However, I've never been completely at ease. The painful history of the past shows that I always make serious mistakes on crucial issues, and considering my age, I think I'll never have another chance to correct them.

To be honest, Amosta has always held Dumbledore in high esteem.

This old man, who can be considered a living history of the modern magical world, has clearly reached the pinnacle of wizarding, but over the years, he probably hasn't had a few days of peace. He has been racking his brains to use his wisdom to plan for the peace and stability of the magical world. Amosta doesn't think he has such a great mind.

"--I don't want to deceive you, Amosta. Remus's letter, which recounts your conflict with the werewolves under Greyback and inquires about your origins, has heightened my concerns. I am very afraid that the worst-case scenario I don't want to see will happen to you."

"I have my principles, Dumbledore."

Amosta understood Dumbledore's concerns, but he felt genuinely helpless when he was the one being watched.

"You don't accept any requests that target wizards or Muggles, right?"

Dumbledore twitched his beard, looked at Amostella whose brow had suddenly furrowed, and sighed.

"Don't blame Kakus Foley, Amosta. I was the one who approached him first to help monitor your activities in the underworld. Indeed, your rule made me understand that you try your best not to harm innocent lives, and it is precisely because of this rule that I have more patience—I mean, I respect your choices."

"If that's the case, Dumbledore, then why are you now going to such lengths to bring me back to Hogwarts?"

A touch of warmth appeared in the desolate night wind, but Amosta's thoughts gradually became complicated.

Fearing he might be sinking deeper into darkness, he orchestrated this absurd farce to get himself back to Hogwarts?

Amostella didn't know whether she should hate or be grateful for Dumbledore's actions.

"Perhaps you believe you've always been able to stick to your principles, Amosta,"

At this moment, Dumbledore's eyes regained their wisdom, and his azure pupils shone with over a century of life experience.

"But I believe that if things continue like this, darkness will inevitably erode you sooner or later, that's for sure. How long has it been since you stood in the world of light and basked in the sunlight with everyone?"

A sliver of pale pink and golden light pierced the night sky, illuminating Amostella's slightly bewildered purple eyes. Amidst the rustling of the forest, Dumbledore earnestly pleaded with Amostella to stay at Hogwarts and continue teaching. Even if he was unwilling, he hoped Amostella could change his way of life and stop oscillating between light and darkness, because if he continued like that, he would eventually slip into the darkness.

This long night will eventually pass, but it will leave an indelible mark on many people's hearts. There is a faint commotion in the castle. The news that Ginny has been rescued and the secret chamber has been closed is spreading rapidly outward from the school hospital.